Specialty malts used in stouts and porters share flavor resemblances with cocoa due to production similarities.

We are on the cusp of tasting differences in chocolate bars and chocolate beers.

Specialty malts used in stouts and porters share flavor resemblances with cocoa due to production similarities.

We are on the cusp of tasting differences in chocolate bars and chocolate beers.

Though not obvious candidates for the classic chicken-or-egg argument, chocolate and beer nonetheless find themselves linked as such due to archaeological evidence uncovered in the last two decades in Mesoamerica. Spoiler alert: Modern chocolate lovers owe a debt of gratitude to historical “beer” lovers. Both camps, however, may enjoy one of the many chocolate beers now available in breweries, bottle shops and grocery stores.

As with any number of trends, the past is also the future. The recent focus on sustainability demands a reexamination of the cacao fruit through a modern lens. Current research suggests that the aforementioned Mesoamerican “beer” used the pulp of the fruit rather than the beans for fermentation. The chemical residue of that proto-beer predates any evidence of a bean-based chocolate drink in that region by centuries, perhaps even millenia. Present-day chocolate makers primarily concern themselves with the beans, giving rise to a waste stream of husks, pulp and other less desirable parts of the fruit. Modern brewers have rediscovered the fermentability, flavor potential and cost-effectiveness (when compared to nib prices) of these lesser-valued parts — waste not, want not.

In addition to sustainability, authenticity and ethical sourcing are also relatively recent concerns. The rise of B-Corps (shout-out to Lost Grove Brewing) and values-driven consumers places a premium on knowing how a product comes to be. As a global agribusiness, the cacao industry confronts the all-too-familiar issues of monocropping, deforestation and human rights abuses. Once consumers demand more from an industry’s major players, improvements often follow. Know better, do better; choose better, buy better.

Chocolate, much like beer, is not monolithic. Cacao’s tropical growing regions around the globe produce different sensory expressions of the fruit. If that notion sounds familiar, the familiarity is in some part due to the educational efforts of the wine, beer and coffee industries: Microclimates and soil types matter in that these factors impact growing conditions which, in turn, impact flavor. We are on the cusp of tasting those differences in chocolate bars and chocolate beers, as more producers celebrate their cacao’s origin.

Should you choose to celebrate Valentine’s Day with chocolate or beer or chocolate beers, do so with intention. Know that your purchasing power can provide a positive impact on global problems. Cheers, ~M

Bonus info: Specialty malts used in stouts and porters share flavor resemblances with cocoa due to production similarities. Chocolate Stouts exploit this synergy to delicious effect.

Having tasted, sold, brewed, named, blended, written and thought about, discussed, argued over, and judged barley’s finest use for over 15 years, I have opinions on the subject. Ultimately, I’m of the mind that if you like it, drink it. If not, don’t waste your liver money on it. Please contact me: thejoyofbeer208@gmail.com.

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